Butter FliesFly MaskFly Control

Purchase: I received this item as a gift, as my horse was in dire need of a fly mask, and I am a fan of handmade and novelty items. It was purchased on ebay from the one woman horsewear 'company' Butter Flies. I believe my friend paid between $10 (starting price on one of these masks) and $16 ('buy it now' price) for it. (No way to tell b/c of bidding et).

Likes: The fly mask is very well made. All of the stitches are doubled, and the netting is exceptionally soft. The first week my horse wore it, it was rolled on at least 8 or 9 times, and stayed in perfect condition. It looked a little awkwardly shaped at first when I removed it from its packaging, but over the past couple weeks it has proved to be a great fit. It's well shaped, and Gypsy has a good inch of space between the fly mask and her eyes. My friend bought a 'full' sized mask, and even though my horse is more of a 'cob' the velcro fastener still adjusted to fit her.
Best of all about this fly mask are all the crazy looks my horse receives while out in the paddock. It has flaming orange fur edges around the nose and browband and flame fabric trim around the base of the head. Despite first appearances, the flame colored fur washes out well and maintains fluffiness after washing if brushed out.

Dislikes: To be honest my horse was terrified of the fly mask at first. I had to introduce it to her slowly, basically doing a John Lyons sacking out routine before she calmed down. So, for nervous horses, all that weird fur might demand caution.
The holes are a little too big to keep mosquitoes away, but they work fine on flies.
I also wish the fly mask had an ear piece.

Quality: Overall this fly mask is well constructed, at least as well if not better than anything mass produced. All stitching is doubled and the velcro fastening strap under the jaw is of exceptional quality. It is stitched what looks like thrice, and has a great grip.
The fit is great, and, it would seem, adaptable to many sized heads.
For the kind of materials it is decorated with, it stands up well to daily use and abuse. Even burrs.

Summary: I think it is important to support small businesses, and this is an exceptional one. It is very difficult to find handmade novelty items for horses that stand up to everyday use, but at least this fly mask is on par with any mass produced brands I've used in the past. At first I admit I was skeptical of all the fur, I figured it would just fall apart. I'm happy to say I was wrong.